The Patient's Point of View
by Rescue45
Summary: How does a patient feel when they are in an accident? This is the point of view from a patient who was in an accident with three kids in the car.


The Patient's Point of View

Chapter 1

The Accident

It's a dark night. It's so dark I can hardly see the road and my lights are on bright. I look in the rearview mirror just in time to see my six year old son smack his older brother and, of course, my eight-year-old just had to pull his hair in retaliation. I turn my head, just for a moment, to yell at the kids, "Stevie, I told you a million times to leave your little brother alone and Sam you keep your hands to yourself."

"I'm being good, Mommy," announces my four-year-old daughter.

"Yes, you are, Emmi." I turn back around and stop for the red light. It starts to rain so I turn on the wipers. I'm glad the kids settled down. I don't like driving in the rain.

The light turns green so I continue on my way home. The next thing I hear is one of my sons, I think it's Stevie but I'm not sure, screaming. He's yelling, "It hurts. Mom!"

My head hurts and I can't move. It hurts when I breathe and I can see the blood dripping down my face. I can't feel my legs when I try to move them. They're stuck under the dash. I try to stay calm for my kids but I'm scared. I only hear Stevie. "Stevie honey, stay calm for Mommy, okay?" I manage to barely get the words out because my lungs are burning with each breath.

I'm relieved when I hear him say, "Okay, Mom," in a much calmer voice.

A man walks up to the passenger side of the car, "Lady, are you okay? I sent someone to call an ambulance." I don't know him but he's a welcome sight.

Station 51, station 10, respond at the intersection of Murray Place and Park Street for motor vehicle accident, unknown injuries. Time out 2110.

Mike had just put the pot of his famous spaghetti on the table and Chet was taking the garlic bread out of the oven.

The men jumped up and ran for their respective vehicles. "Aw, man. I was looking forward to your spaghetti, Mike." Johnny said as he took a deep whiff of the perfectly made meal. Roy and Johnny had to miss lunch because of all the runs they were on earlier. Upon arrival, they see a car that has been T-boned on the driver's side by a small pick-up truck. John and Roy run to the car and the paramedics from station 10 head towards the truck.

"Stevie, can you see your brother and sister?"

"Mom, they're not moving and Emmi has blood on her face."

He starts to cry again. I want to scream too. I want to yell but I know that will only upset Stevie more. "Where do you hurt?"

"My arm hurts. I can't move it." I can hear the panic in his voice. "I want you to sit still, Stevie. Don't move, okay?" I can barely talk and it's so hard to breathe. I can't let Stevie know I'm hurt this bad.

"Mom, are Emmi and Sam dead? Mom, get me."

My heart stops beating. I can't fully comprehend what he is saying. I don't want to. I still can't move. "Stevie, my leg is stuck; I can't get out of the car."

The man tells me his name is Joe and I can hear him talking to Stevie now. He's telling him that I'm okay. Joe tells me that he can see that Emmi and Sam are breathing. I feel a little better knowing they're still alive.

I can hear the sirens now. It's getting harder for me to breathe and I don't have the energy to talk anymore. I can hear the rain as it beats down on the car. I'm getting cold and it's hard for me to stay awake, I just want to sleep.

I start to close my eyes when I hear a voice coming from the passenger side of the car, "Ma'am, Ma'am, can you hear me?" I just nod my head. I can barely open my eyes. "I'm a paramedic. My name is Johnny. I'm going to help you. You're going to be just fine." I hear him say as he opens my eyes and shines a light in them. A para what did he say he was? I don't really care. His voice is so calm and he's here to help us. He yells back to someone else, I can't see who, "She's cold, hand me a blanket, let's get her covered up." He turns back toward me, "Can you tell me your name?"

I nod and squeak out, "Debbie Hogan."

I force my eyes to open as he puts a mask on my face. I try to take it off but he puts it back on. "It's oxygen, it will help you breathe."

I stop fighting the oxygen and let him put it back on. I manage to say, "My kids."

"My partner, Roy, is looking at them, I'm sure they're going to be just fine." He tells me. He sounds so calm and reassuring that I trust him. The oxygen does help my breathing. Johnny covers me up with a blanket. It feels so nice and warm. Someone hands Johnny something white and he tells me, "This is just a precaution. I'm going to slide this cervical collar around your neck and I want you to stay still." I can feel the collar around my neck. "Now, you have a little cut on your forehead. I'm going to put a bandage and dressing on it." He also asks for someone to hand him an 8x10 trauma dressing, gauze and tape. When he gets the supplies, I can feel the pressure as Johnny places it on my head. He sounds like such a nice young man. I can't believe there are people willing to help others so much, but I'm so glad they are here for me and my kids.

"Johnny, Stevie has a broken arm but he's going to be fine otherwise." I hear another voice coming from the back seat. "I'm handing him to Marco."

"Yeah okay, Roy." I'm worried about Emmi and Sam too and I must have a very worried look on my face because Johnny asks, "What about the other two?" Johnny looks at Roy and I hear him say, "Her daughter has a laceration on her cheek and I'm checking on her other son now." I know he said she has a laceration but why can't I hear her crying? I wonder what else is wrong with her. What's wrong with Sam? I don't hear Johnny talking to Roy about them. I'm getting restless and can't sit still. I start moving around. I think I may have even hit Johnny. I hope not, he's here to help me, to help us.

Johnny must sense I'm upset as he put his hands on my shoulders and looks me square in the eyes, "It's going to be alright. I know you're worried about your kids. I promise Roy is doing all he can for them." He turns and yells something to the rest of the firemen that are behind him. I can't make out everything he said but it's something about getting the kids out so they can start working on cutting me out of the car. I think 'God, just how bad am I trapped in here?' My breathing gets faster. I have been resisting the urge to panic but I don't think I can hold it together much longer. I realize that my left leg is really starting to hurt.

Johnny has the patience of a saint. He notices my tension building and says, "I'm going to tell you everything we are going to do before we do it, okay?" I nod that I understand him. His voice is so soft and calm. He never raises his voice and he doesn't sound panicked himself. "I'm going to take your blood pressure and your pulse." I can feel the cuff squeeze my arm but it doesn't hurt. He listens to my chest too. I can tell by the systematic way he does everything that he has done this a thousand times before.

I think I hear his partner say the kids are out of the car now. I manage to say, "Are my kids okay?"

Johnny turns around then says, "Roy's got them out of the car and everything's being done for them."

What's that supposed to mean, I wonder. That's not really an answer. This guy, Johnny, must be a mind reader 'cause the next thing he says is, "I'm sorry, I really can't tell you more than I already have. I see my partner and another paramedic with your kids now. I know they're doing everything they can for them. How's your breathing now?"

"Better. Left leg hurts now."

Johnny looks down at my tangled feet and from the look on his face he can see why it hurts. "Don't worry, we're going to get you out of here." I hear a loud noise and it startles me so much I jump a little. "Now don't mind that noise. It's what we call the jaws." Someone hands him a yellow plastic tarp. "Debbie, I'm going to cover us with this while they pry the door open. There's going to be a lot of noise, but I'll be right here with you. I'm not going to leave you, okay?" I nod again. He unfolds the tarp and covers us up. "You ready? Remember, there's going to be a lot of noise and the sound of breaking glass. We're safe under here."

"Okay." I smile at him nervously and he holds my hand to let me know that he's right here with me. I hear the sound of the machine and what sounds like metal and glass breaking. Johnny keeps his eyes on me and reminds me to take slow deep breaths.

"Got it, Johnny." I hear someone say as the noise stops. "Roy's on the phone with Rampart and wants to know the vitals."

Johnny removes the yellow tarp that had protected us from the breaking glass and tells the other man what my blood pressure, pulse, and respirations are. I try to move my feet but yell from the pain. Johnny puts his hand on my shoulder, "Just relax, Debbie. Try not to move. Just let us do all the work."

A man comes up to the car and says, "Roy said Rampart wants you to start an IV TKO, splint the leg and transport."

The rain has stopped or at least I think it has because I can't hear it anymore. I still feel cold, so cold and sleepy. I want to go to sleep but I know I need to stay awake for the kids. My eyes start closing and I can't stop them. "Debbie, stay with me now. You're almost out now, stay with me. I need you to stay awake." I open my eyes again. Johnny looks at me and tells me about the IV. He says he's sorry he can't give me anything for pain because of my head injury. I don't care about that. I just want out of this car and I want to see the kids.

I can hear men talking and Johnny tells me that with the driver's door now off, they can get me out of the car. Before they put me on a backboard, Johnny explains what they are doing and says it's just a precaution.

I'm lying flat on my back now strapped to a wooden board. This is definitely not comfortable. I can't breathe at all now and start gasping. I reach for Johnny's arm and he says', "She can't lay flat, let's sit her up." The men put me on the stretcher and remove the backboard and Johnny adjusts the head of the stretcher so I'm now sitting up. I can breathe a little easier now and I nod at him.

I'm worried about my kids. I don't know who has them or where they are. I think the hardest thing I've had to do is let some strangers take them. I don't have a choice right now. I'm in no shape to help them and I know they are with people who are doing just that.

I'm being put inside an ambulance and Johnny climbs inside with me. He smiles at me and tells me, "Roy and another paramedic are with your kids in another ambulance on the way to the hospital now. I'll have you there in about seven minutes."

I remove the oxygen mask just long enough to say, "Thank you." My head is starting to pound now and I bring my hand up and rub the right side of my temple.

"I know your head hurts. I promise we're almost there." I notice him looking at my bandages. Then he looks at me from head-to-toe. I think to make sure I'm not hurt anywhere else because he asks if this hurts or if that hurts. Before I know it, the ambulance stops and I'm being taken inside the hospital. I look up as they move me from the stretcher to the bed. They do it in one swift move and it doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would.

I open my eyes and see a bright light over the bed and quickly close them. "Sorry about that." I hear another man's voice say. "I'm Dr. Brackett."

"Debbie, I'm going to find out about your kids. I'll be back, okay?" I hear Johnny say.

"Thank you." I respond weakly.

"Now Debbie, Johnny tells me you're having difficulty breathing."

"Yes, it hurts to breathe." I hear him order x-rays and a CBC, whatever that is. I'm trying to stay awake but my eyes are getting so heavy. Now the room is spinning. I don't think I can stay awake any longer. I…

Chapter 2

The Husband's Point of View

I can't believe what I just heard on the phone. My whole family, my whole life is being taken to the hospital. No one can tell me what's wrong with any of them; just that all three of my kids and my beautiful wife were in an accident and all of them are in the hospital. My wife had taken the kids to visit her mother and was on the way back home.

I run inside the hospital and find the nearest nurse and tell her I received a phone call that my wife and kids have been in a car accident. She asks me their names and I tell her, "I'm Steve Hogan, my wife is Debbie Hogan, the kids are Stevie, Sam, and Emmi."

"I'm Dixie McCall and your son, Stevie, is in here." She opens a door and I see my son sitting on a table holding his arm.

"Daddy." I run to him and hug him tight.

I turn back toward the nurse and ask, "What about the rest of my family? Where are they? What happened?"

"Mr. Hogan, I know you have a lot of questions and I will answer them but can we step outside a minute." An older looking doctor with short white hair says to me as he gently guides me toward the door. "Don't worry, Dixie will stay with Stevie."

I look back at my son, "Stevie, Daddy will be right back, okay?" Stevie nods.

"I'm Dr. Early and I've been taking care of your son, Stevie. He has a broken left arm. I've given him something for the pain and I can set the arm now. He seems to be fine otherwise and you can take him home in a couple of hours. Dr. Brackett is in with your wife now and your other son, Sam, is in x-ray. He was unconscious but woke up in the ambulance on the way here. I'll know more about him after we look at the x-ray but I think he has a concussion. Your daughter is in with Dr. Morton and I was just about to check on her. She has a small laceration on her left cheek that will probably need stitches. She was unconscious too, but woke up a couple of minutes ago."

I reach my hand out to him and gently pat his arm, "Thank you, doctor. Are you sure the kids are all going to be okay?" I feel so panicked. I love my kids and my wife with every fiber of my being and I don't know what I would do without any of them. They mean so much to me. I know men don't cry, but I swear I'm so close to it right now. "Can I see my wife now? I know she'll be worried."

"Why don't you go be with Stevie for a couple of minutes and I'll check on your wife." He smiles at me and I realize that this doctor and the other doctors that are with my wife and the children are doing the best they can. Yes, I know they are in good hands.

I walk back in the room with Stevie who is still sitting on the table. Dixie is singing to him to keep him calm. I bet she is a wonderful person, sure seems like it to me. She smiles at me when I walk in. "Hi, son."

"Daddy, a truck hit the car. We crashed."

I sit next to him on the table and look at his arm. It looks disfigured and so swollen. I know it must have hurt. "You're going to be okay, Stevie."

"Daddy, I get a cast. The doctor said I get to have a cast on my arm. Will you sign it?" He sounds happy about having a cast. I can't believe he's so brave.

I laugh a little, "Of course, I'll sign it, buddy."

"Ms. McCall, will you sign it too?"

She smiled at him and said, "It would be my pleasure, Stevie."

Dr. Early comes back in and informs me that he needs to set Stevie's arm now then we will talk about the rest of my family. After Stevie's cast is in place, I step outside with the doctor. I'm not sure I like the look on his face. I'm pretty good at reading people's faces and this one says I'm not going to like what he has to say.

"You're son, Sam, has a concussion just as I suspected." He followed by quickly saying, "It appears to be pretty minor, but we'd like to keep him overnight for observation." I nod, waiting for news on the others. "Your daughter appears to be okay. Dr. Morton had to put five stitches in her cheek but they are small ones and she's so young I doubt there will be any permanent scars. You can take her home tonight."

"Thank you. What about my wife?"

"Your wife has a broken leg and passed out just after she arrived. Dr. Brackett is having an x-rays taken right now."

He takes me to Emmi and Dr. Morton introduces himself to me. He looks young but competent. "Daddy." My young daughter holds her arm out for me to pick her up as she starts to cry.

Dr. Morton nods and I pick her up, "It's okay, princess. You're okay." I gently wipe the tears off her cheek. "How would you like to go see Stevie?"

"Mommy?"

"Thank you, Dr. Morton." I take Emmi in my arms to her brother's room. She hugs Stevie and I can tell that he's glad to see his little sister. They may fight sometimes, but they love each other.

Dixie says, "I'll be happy to watch these two if you'd like to see Sam. We'll be taking him up to room 425 in a few minutes.

"Stevie, Emmi, I want you to stay here with Ms. McCall so I can go see Sam, okay?"

"Yes, Daddy," my two children say at the same time. I leave them with Dixie with the promise that I won't be gone long.

Sam's room is dark when I enter it. He's lying so still on the bed. I look at him from head-to-toe and I don't see any bandages or cast, no signs of bleeding, in fact I don't see any signs of any injury at all. I quietly sit in the chair by his bed and hold his hand. He moans, "Daddy, is that you?"

"Daddy's here, son."

I squeeze his hand and he squeezes it back. "I got headache, Daddy."

"I know you do, Sam. It will be okay. The doctor said you need to rest now." My heart is breaking to see him like this. To see my other son's arm in a cast, my beautiful daughter with stitches on her face and I haven't gotten to see my wife yet. I take a deep breath and remember that they are all alive; they are all in good hands.

"I'm tired, Daddy, can I go to sleep now." He looks at me with those big pleading brown eyes of his.

"Yes, you can go to sleep now. Daddy is going to see Mommy now, but I'll be back." I kiss his forehead and tell him I love him. He tells me he loves me too.

I hate leaving his room, but I need to check on Debbie. I need to tell her that the kids are okay. I need to see for myself that she's okay.

I see Dixie just before I walk into the room that Dr. Early said Debbie is in. She stops me just before I walk in. She told me the kids are fine with another nurse, Carol. "Mr. Hogan, take a deep breath before you go in. I know this has been hard on you but your wife needs to see you calm when you go in there."

"Do I look that bad?" I wonder just how bad I look. I feel like hell, I must look pretty frazzled too. She doesn't say anything, but I can tell from her look the answer is yes, I look pretty bad. I rub my forehead with my hand and take a deep breath. "How is she, really? The only thing I've been told is that she has a broken leg and she passed out."

"Dr. Brackett is still with her. He'll tell you everything."

I step inside and see Debbie with an oxygen mask on. Dr. Brackett tells me that Debbie has some broken ribs, a fractured left leg and a laceration on her forehead that he put ten stitches in. He also says that she will have to stay in the hospital a couple of days.

I walk quickly to her side and hold her hand, "Honey, I've seen the kids. They're going to be okay. They're fine."

She starts to cry, "What happened, Steve?"

I brushed her hair out of her eyes, "You were in an accident. I don't anymore than that."

"You promise the kids are okay?"

"Stevie has a broken arm. He's excited that he gets to have a cast."

She laughs then cringes, "Don't make me laugh, it hurts."

"I'm sorry." I tell her as I squeeze her hand tighter. "Sam has a concussion and the doctor wants to keep him overnight. Emmi has a few stitches in her cheek but she's gonna be fine."

Chapter 3

Going Home

I feel so relieved that the kids are okay. I can breathe easier now and Dr. Brackett gave me something for the pain. I know I'll have to stay in the hospital a few days but I also know it could have been so much worse.

It's been three days now and I'm going home in a little while. I'll be so glad to get out of here. The people have been really great, but I want to be in my own house. I hear a knock on the door. "Come in." I say wondering who it could be. The nurse just left and I'm not expecting anyone else.

"Hi."

I smile as I recognize the paramedic who helped me, "Johnny."

"I thought I'd come check on you. I heard you're gettin' out of here today."

"My husband is on his way over now."

"So how are you doing?"

"Dr. Brackett says it's going to take a while to heal. I'll be out of this cast in about four weeks and I broke three ribs."

I notice the man standing next to him. "Are you, Roy?"

"Yes, Ma'am, I am."

"You were the one who took such good care of my kids."

"I'm glad they're alright."

"Johnny, can you answer a question for me?"

"I'll give it my best."

"What caused the accident? I know my light was green. I know it was."

"Yes, Ma'am. The police said the man in the truck had been drinking and he ran a red light."

"He's being charged and the police should be getting in touch with you within a couple of days."

"I bet he wasn't even hurt."

"As a matter fact he wasn't." Johnny said and I could tell that he is upset that the man had been drinking and driving.

"Thank you so much for everything you did. I was so scared that night. I've never been in an accident in my whole life. You kept me so calm. I felt so much better with you there talking me through everything."

Johnny smiled as he said, "You're welcome. We're glad everything worked out."

Johnny and Roy walk out of my room and my husband is walking in now. Dixie is pushing a wheelchair. I get to go home and I couldn't be happier.

"You know, Roy, that's one lucky family."

"Yeah. I'll never understand why anyone would drive after drinking."

"I hear ya, partner." Johnny put his hand on Roy's shoulder as they walked down the hall.

"Hey, maybe someday someone will keep track of how many people are hurt or killed by drunk drivers."

Epilogue

I found this information on drunk driving on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention web site. Please, don't drink and drive.

Every day, almost 30 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This amounts to one death every 48 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $51 billion.

In 2010, 10,228 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (31%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.1


End file.
